Check the flue damper The flue damper on your fireplace should have seals around it to prevent heat loss through the chimney. Take a look at those seals and make sure they’re tight.

If your fireplace has glass doors on the front, there may be a section of air intake shutters along the bottom. These shutters need to be open whenever a fire is burning in the firebox.

If your firebox is really dirty, you can’t see if you have big cracks." Chimney fires not only can damage the chimney, but they also create enough sparks to set a roof or lawn ablaze.

If it's 1/8-in. thick, schedule a fireplace cleaning soon. If you have 1/4-in. of creosote or more, do not use the fireplace again until it is cleaned—a chimney fire could occur at any time.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, heating was the second leading cause of house fires, behind cooking. If the fireplace (gas or wood) and chimney haven’t been touched in […] ...

Some years ago, I replaced my old brick fireplace with a firebox insert and metal flue. We burn wood but use gas jets to get the fire started. All was well until a few years ago when the fireplace ...

Inspectors said they think buildup of creosote in the chimney flue ignited when residents tried to use their fireplace for the first time this fall. "It will be like charcoal.

Check the flue for obstructions like birds' nests, and trim any overhanging branches or large trees near the chimney. -Always use a fireplace screen. -Never overload the fireplace with too many logs.

Don't throw trash into the fireplace, El-Hagen said, because it causes a thicker smoke, which lowers the temperature in the chimney. "The hotter the fire, the better the burn," she said.

Fortunately, the roaring, burning flue gradually cooled; the sparks and flying embers it spewed outdoors over a dry, wood lot didn’t ignite the neighborhood. A lesson was learned.

Q: What would happen if someone used house paint on the inside of a dirty fireplace? The one at our house is really ugly. My wife wants it fixed, but I can’t afford a wood stove or insert.&#8… ...